The October 15 elections marked a shift in Warsaw's approach to combating climate change.
Poland's new pro-European government, led by Prime Minister Donald Tusk, is planning to formally withdraw lawsuits against key EU climate policies at the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU), Reuters reported, citing government and EU sources familiar with the matter.
The cases filed by Poland’s previous right-wing government aimed to annul various EU climate measures. These include a law banning sales of new CO2-emitting cars from 2035, a policy setting national emissions-cutting targets, amendments to the EU's carbon market, and objectives for forest protection to enhance carbon storage, according to Reuters.
The Tusk government is reportedly coordinating efforts to cancel these cases, signaling a change in Poland's climate policy direction.
As part of this shift, the government has indicated plans to accelerate the transition from coal to renewable energy, with a commitment to support affected workers and industries throughout the process.
In 2019, under the previous administration, Poland was the only member to refuse to subscribe to the EU’s goal of reaching carbon neutrality by 2050.
The Polish government at the time argued that the country’s energy systems and economy were too dependent on coal and lignite to make the transition by that deadline.
(mo/gs)
Source: Reuters